PROFILE - 1 ::

MURALI IS WORKING TO GET THE HOTEL DECLARED AS ‘HERITAGE PROPERTY’

BY P S SUNDAR

Whenever I interact with R Muralidharan, General Manager, The Gateway Hotel, Coonoor, I never miss the passion embedded in him to integrate the hotel with the society living in the Nilgiris district.    This is a vital factor that has resulted in the residents, more so those in Coonoor and its circumference, holding with pride that a Taj brand, The Gateway, is in their area.   I am forced to draw an elegant parallel to this in Mumbai where the residents hold Taj Mahal Hotel as an icon of the metropolitan city.

Murali has been highly responsive to the call of the neighbours not to cause air pollution through high decibel music during celebrations or otherwise create traffic jam!  

There may be an underlying reason for Murali’s proactive role in this – he hails from the Nilgiris.  And, equally significant, he began his career in the Nilgiris as Front Office Assistant with Taj Savoy Hotel Ooty in 1987 and was Front Office Manager (and Account Manager) at Taj Garden Retreat (now, Gateway) in Coonoor from 1992 to 2003.  And, he had useful exposure at Taj Garden Retreat Madurai and Thekkadi (where he was unit in-charge) and Taj View Agra before returning to Taj Garden Retreat in Coonoor as Operations Manager in 2008.  He became unit in-charge here in 2012.   Two significant changes happened during this tenure – in 2009, Taj Garden Retreat became The Gateway Hotel and in 2015, Murali became General Manager.

He heads a team of about 70 including eight departmental heads in Gateway Coonoor that has 32 rooms including executive suites, GAD restaurant, bar, banquet hall, wellness and recreation centres.  And in the GAD, in line with the corporate policy of the Taj group, ‘Regional food’ is served – Badaga dishes prepared home-style by housewives of Badaga, the predominant community of the Nilgiris. 

Among the mentionable works he had carried out was renovation of bathrooms in this 156-year-old property.   “In most rooms, we replaced bath-tub with shower thereby saving water usage.  Upgradation followed automatically”, he told me.

His another accent was on improving the water supply source. “Considering the acute water scarcity in Coonoor, we have dug wells in the hotel premises as also in our land at Bundhumi.  The water has been certified to be potable and we are now self-sufficient.  We are currently working on harvesting rain water all over the campus”, he noted.

Environmental care has always been in the forefront. “Besides observing environment day annually and also planting trees regularly, we have embarked on recycling of used water through aerobic-cum-microbial treatment plants and the water is used in gardens”, he disclosed.

The gardens themselves have been improved.  “We grow vegetables and herbs in our garden organically which we use in the 

hotel kitchen. We have created wire cover to protect the vegetables from monkeys.  Of late, we have planted 60 lime trees”, he said.

Among the innovation creditable to Murali is his ingenuity in planting Kurinji (Strobilanthes kunthiana) in the garden.  Kurinji is a wild flower with varying blooming cycles and is a favourite for tourists.  However, tourists are required to travel long distances to see Kurinji during their blooming season.   It has mostly been unsuccessful to plant Kurinji in garden but, Murali’s attempt proved successful in taking Kurinji to the doorsteps of the guests. My article on this has won many accolades.

The complex housing the wellness centre itself has undergone welcome changes.  It is surrounded by vegetable and herbs gardens.  There is a well-equipped gymnasium.   There are separate facilities for Ayurvedic massage for men and women.  There is a reading room besides a recreation outfit.  “Guests are happy with this”, Murali told me.

“Two major happenings for the welfare of staff are upgradation of their quarters with added security and development of second-line management through promotion.  It is satisfying to note that a chef of our unit Ramachandran won title in the international contest, ‘Red Hot Chef’. All employees participate in all unit-centric activities including supplying food and materials to the needy as part of corporate social responsibility measures”, Murali noted.

“Among the encouraging results – we have ISO 22000 certification, Silver level in Earth Check certification, 8 to 10 per cent growth in business annually, 10 per cent growth in guest satisfaction and telling growth in employee satisfaction”, he revealed.

For 2015, my Agenda is to get this hotel classified as a ‘Heritage Property’ in recognition of its 156 year existence with traditional values”, Murali summed up.

On my part, I am waiting for my long-pending suggestion to have the Bougainville tree opposite to the hotel’s portico declared as the largest Bougainville among hospitality institutions in the Nilgiris.   Equally, I am waiting for the installation of the Board to announce the ‘Kurinji Garden Lawn’ with details of the blooms cited.  

CELEBRATION - 10:

CELEBRATING VIRAT KHOLI'S CENTENARY AT GEM PARK

BY P S SUNDAR

Tourists, including foreigners, cheered Virat Kholi’s century at ICC World Cup Cricket on Sunday with ‘Virat’s Kozhi’, a special dish in his honour, comprising boneless chicken flavoured with garlic at Gem Park Hotels and Resorts Ooty.

My article in today's The New Indian Express::

CELEBRATION -- 9 ::

NILGIRI HOTELS ARE BUSY FOR VALENTINE’S DAY AND CRICKET WORLD CUP

P S SUNDAR

                        The Nilgiris district and Ooty have always been a favourite destination for honeymooners from across the country.     Foreigners link Ooty with romance!

Consequently, the hotel sector holding investments crossing Rs 200 crore in the district, uses Valentine’s Day as a business hub.

“This year, Valentine’s Day comes on Saturday followed by Chinese New Year on Monday.  Besides, ICC World Cup cricket celebration has also started.  So, hotels are hosting Big Screen display spiced with cricket-linked drinks and eats.   This weekend is tellingly busy as many hotels are reporting full-house”, N Chandra Shekar, Secretary, Nilgiri Hotel and Restaurant Association, told me.

Hotels are utilising Valentine’s Day as the platform to launch new long-term packages for sustained business.   “We have announced three gifts to tourists and residents.  Besides hampers to couples partying with us on Valentine’s Day, we are launching on that day a new DJ Club which will welcome dancers every Friday and Saturday nights form now", Sudarshan Motwani, Managing Director, Orchid Square Boutique Hotel, Coonoor, said.

"We are launching monthly and quarterly membership for professionally guided sessions separately for gents and ladies at our Gym.  Third, beginning this Valentine’s Day, women using our Ayurveda Spa called ‘Nilgiris’ will enjoy concessions and the much-needed pick-up and drop by hotel car”, Motwani disclosed. 

Gem Park Hotels and Resorts Ooty has announced special cuisines to celebrate Chinese New Year at its new-look Jade Garden Chinese restaurant. Alongside, it has launched Cricket celebrations.  “We have hosted Big Screen at all vantage points including the lawn where guests can watch World Cup cricket matches live.  To spice up the spirit, we have drinks and starters named with cricket-style”, Gem Park’s Resident Director Ismail Khan said.

"The drinks have been named ‘Between the stumps, Dhawan’s Dance, Sydney Special, All Rounder, Hit Wicket, lbw, Not Out, Morkels Fast Drink, Fun at Melbourne and Steyn’s Time Pass’, " said Food and Beverage Manager  B R Pradeep Kumar.

"The starters are named ‘All-time Dhoni’s Favourite, Virat’s Kozhi (chicken), Mitchelle Starc’s Yorker, Dhawan’s Disguise, Anderson Slide, Sharma’s Sixer, Smith’s Veggie, Suresh Raina’s Sweet Drive, Rohit’s love and Ashwin’s Favourite’," said Executive Chef R Surendran. 

Article in The New Indian Express -- Feb 14, 2015::

CELEBRATION - 8 ::

WORLD CUP CRICKET CELEBRATIONS AT GEM PARK OOTY

BY P S SUNDAR

The Cricket Celebration has started ..  From tomorrow (Feb 14, 2015) till March 28, the whole world will watch ICC World Cup Cricket matches ..

How can the Nilgiris or Ooty, in particular, remain insulated this mega celebration?  Gem Park Hotels and Resorts Ooty has announced its own style of celebration with and for the guests.

"We will have Big Screen at vantage spots including the lawn so that guests can enjoy cricket live as and when telecast", Resident Director Ismail Khan said. 

"We have chalked out special drinks named in Cricket style at our Bar to highlight the 'high spirit' of the World Cup", Food and Beverage Manager B R Pradeep Kumar told me. 

"To add to celebrations, we have developed mouth-watering starters which we have christened with Cricket flavours", said Executive Chef R Surendran. 

Details can be had on phone: 91 423 2442955 or through e-mail: reserve@gemparkooty.com. 

CELEBRATION - 7 ::

ORCHID SQUARE MAKING THIS VALENTINE'S DAY DIFFERENT 

BY P S SUNDAR

Coinciding with Valentine's Day celebrations, ORCHID SQUARE BOUTIQUE HOTEL, Coonoor, has come out with three announcements to benefit Nilgiri residents and visitors ::

              #  the commencement of the DJ Club, 'CLOUD 9'... Dances will be on from 8 pm during Valentine's Eve on Feb 13 as also Valentine's Day on Feb 14 with gifts to the couples.  But a gift to all lovers of partying is that from now on, the DJ CLub will be vibrant with dances on every Friday and Saturday from 7.30 pm to 10.30 pm.  "We can also arrange DJ performance for special events like Birthdays and Get-togethers", Managing Director Sudarshan Motwani told me. 



              #  the opening of quarterly and monthly membership at the professional unisex Gym in the hotel.   "We have installed many latest equipments. Professional trainers take separate health and fitness sessions for men and women", Motwani said. 



              #  concessional rates and free pick-up and drop by hotel car for ladies to benefIt from AYURVERDA SPA, 'NILGIRIS' .  "Our signature unisex massage packages cover 'Abhyanga', 'Sirdhara', 'Shirobhyanga', 'Ayurveda foot and knee massage', 'Ayurveda facial' and 'Body Steam Bath'.  This ensure oxyrich lifestyle", Motwani noted. 


             Details can be had on phone: 07868036965 or by e-mail :: reservations@orchidsquare.in   

  

CELEBRATION -- 6 ::

CHINESE NEW YEAR AT GEM PARK'S CHINESE RESTAURANT -- FEB 14 TO 16, 2015

BY P S SUNDAR

              Gem Park Hotels and Resorts, Ooty, has announced celebrations for Chinese New Year at its Chinese restaurant, Jade Garden  -- a right place for a right event.  And, with the right ambiance too -- yes, the whole place bears Chinese look.

"We have renovated the 

restaurant adding Chinese decor.  Now, the restaurant bears a new but typical Chinese look", Resident Director Ismail Khan told me.   Khan is a proven interior decorator to enhance festivities with decor. 

I could see this everywhere in the restaurant and enjoyed photographing; all photos here are so taken by me.   Each table bears the Chinese red ribbon and seated prominently along with porcelain jars, pepper and salt are dolls of Chinese martial-art warriors in various poses.  

Huge dolls of Chinese saints and soothsayers are a great attraction to all, more so, the photograph-enthusiasts.  The decor on the wall also reflects Chinese art. 

"We will have three day celebrations to usher in the Chinese New Year.   The fun begins with the Valentine's Day on Feb 14 and spreads through Feb 15 to 16 which, in reality, means an extended weekend.  Guests can book through 9786000884 or reserve@gemparkooty.com", Food and Beverages Manager B R Pradeep Kumar said. 

               "Our special dish for the event is 'Sliced Lamb Masaman' served with dan dan noodles or nasi goreng", Executive Chef R Surendran disclosed. 

                "Soto ayam, Peking chicken and ginger squid are the other non-vegetarian dishes which end the meals with fig pancake", he noted. 

                 "For the vegetarians, the specialty is bean curd with red and green pepper served with mushroom glass noodles or cashew sesame fried rice. Cantonese vegetable soup,  Thai style potato and baby corn, water chestnut in sambal sauce ending with apple toffee are other attractions", Surendran added. 

                  Details can be had on phone: 9786000884 or e-mail: reserve@gemparkooty.com. 

   

CAREER -- 1 ::

MIGRATION & CAREER SERVICES TO HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS 

BY P S SUNDAR

P K VENKATESWARAN

                       It was informative, not just interesting, to interact with P K Venkateswaran, Australian lawyer who excels in providing migration services to many countries.  Himself a migrant to Australia and an Australian citizen for many years now, he understands 

the opportunities, dreams and challenges of persons, particularly Indians, who desire to settle in a foreign land.

“Substantial numbers of hospitality professionals are keen to settle in Australia and Hongkong.  With the way hotels and restaurants are expanding in many countries, there are openings for almost all sorts of departments – food preparation, particularly specialisation in fields like North and South Indian dishes and more so, Chettinad, Hyderabadi and Punjabi.  Openings exist for beverage preparations, restaurant services, front office management, guest relations  as also in bakery and confectionary”,  said Venkateswaran, popularly called Waran in Australia.  To the professional world, he is ‘Venkateswaran Palat Krishnan’, registered and licensed to offer migration services.

He speaks in the ‘first hand – been there and done that’ experience.  “We have got over 150 Indian hospitality professionals settled in various countries, mostly in Australia.  Quite interestingly, some have started their own restaurants and are successfully running them.  Certainly, there is testimony to life-time transformation for better.  More importantly, our service is for guiding candidates towards legal permanent settlement”, said Venkateswaran who is also Member of Australian Institute of Management.   He can be contacted on e-mail: pk_venkateswaran@yahoo.com.    

Creating careers for candidates intending to pursue hospitality specialisation courses is another portfolio.   “We have tie-ups with Australian institutes and universities.   Consequently, we provide useful career guidance which helps candidates get visa”, said Venkateswaran, Director, Education Overseas Academy, who claims to have helped over 250 Indian students to pursue hospitality courses in Australia.  This Academy is also registered in Australia.  

Its Chennai office can be reached on phone: 044 28203111 (to 3) but all decisions have to be taken based on candidates’ individual judgement and not based on the claims made in this article because this has to be used as guidance information for which no responsibility can be fixed.  

HOTEL - 3 ::

INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS TO HAVE 100 HOTELS IN INDIA

BY P S SUNDAR

                Having commenced its operations in India in 1965, the global hospitality chain, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is now in its 50th year of functioning in the country. 

                Presently, it has 20 properties with 3,700 rooms accross 13 cities in India. 

                Shantha de Silva, Head of South West Asia, IHG, is quoted to say that in the pipeline are 47 properties with about 9,000 rooms to be developed in India over the next three to five years. 

                And, the plan is to have over 100 hotels in the country in 10 years, he has disclosed.  

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY :: CSR - 5 ::

FREE TRAINING AT TAJ HOTELS FOR UNDER-PRIVILEGED

BY P S SUNDAR

                     Candidates belonging to under-privileged sections can benefit from free professional training in star hotel with employment possibility, thanks to Union Ministry of Tourism awarding ‘Hunar Se Rozgar’ (HSR) to Taj group of hotels in Nilgiris.   

“The entire programme is sponsored by Government of India and this includes course material, uniform and stipend of Rs 1,500 to each candidate.  Government has enlisted Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) to implement the scheme.  Our responsibility is to select candidates and train them professionally”, D Antony Gerald, Human Resource Manager, Taj Group of hotels, Nilgiris, told me.

“Youngsters who have passed Tenth standard can join one of the four streams – Food and Beverage service (six weeks), Housekeeping (six weeks), Food Production (eight weeks) and Bakery and Confectionary (eight weeks).  On their passing written and practical examination at the end, IHM will issue certificate enabling their eligibility for employment in star hotels”, Gerald detailed.

“Training will be imparted in Gateway Hotel Coonoor or Taj Savoy Ooty.  Interested candidates can phone on 8489944312”, he said.

“We have already employed some such candidates from HSR’s earlier editions.  HSR candidates gain lateral entry when graduates from hotel management courses are vying for employment.  Our linkage with under-privileged starts at schooling stage as we encourage inmates of The Mercy Home for abandoned children to spend quality time in our campus for break-fast, lunch, teamwork games like cycling and theme stories on select days.  On growing up, they are assured of decent employment”, added Gateway General Manager R Muralidharan.

photo::   Inmates of ‘The Mercy Home’ for abandoned children undergoing teamwork cycling practice at Gateway Hotel, Coonoor.